Is It Normal for a Knee to Still Be Stiff Months After an ACL Surgery?

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Quick Answer

The stiffness of the knee is not a normal after effect of an anterior cruciate ligament surgery, says The Foundry Orthopedics & Sports Medicine. Only about 5 to 7 percent of patients experience this. Yet, it is more common than other complications, including thromboembolism, infection and premature mechanical failure.

ACL reconstruction is a surgical procedure entailing the replacement of the knee’s injured anterior cruciate ligament, a chief stabilizer of this joint that frequently suffers tearing. The surgery aims to restore its function, but in certain cases, post-operative stiffness sets in. Unfortunately, understanding this after effect is hard, as it is a multifactorial problem involving several predisposing factors.